SOCIAL JUSTICE ACTIVITIES CALENDAR FOR NOVEMBER, 2017Our theme this month is Abundance Perception

Toiletries Collected for Gainesville’s Homeless — November 5, Sunday, after serviceWe will begin our annual collection of toiletries and gift items for the homeless on November 5. Please contribute personal size toiletries for men and women, and necessities such as small flashlights, bug spray, sunscreen, chap stick, lotion, razors, hand sanitizer, tissues, duct tape, emergency blankets, raincoats, and small gifts such as paperback books, costume jewelry, and items with affirmations or uplifting messages.

Stocking Stuffing — Sunday, December 3Following service on December 3, we will stuff the donated items into stockings to be given to homeless clients of GRACE Marketplace. Please stop by the table after the service on November 5 to learn more and see samples of items you could donate. You may place donations in the marked bin under the Social Justice display table in the Phillips Social Hall.

Share the Plate — November 19, SundayWe will continue our Share the Plate program during the Sunday service on November 19, with all non-designated offerings going to Alachua County Humane Society. The Humane Society has been helping pets in Alachua County for more than 40 years. They work closely with other Alachua County agencies to become a community where no healthy or treatable animal is euthanized due to lack of space, and act as advocates for pets and pet owners.

SOCIAL JUSTICE PROGRAMMING

UUFG SOCIAL JUSTICE PRIORITIESMeeting Sunday, February 19, 12:30 pm

On Sunday, January 22, at the annual congregational meeting that deals with social justice, we heard reports on UUFG’s activities in social justice during the past year. Social Justice work is facilitated by a Social Justice Council and Social Justice Project Teams. The Council organizes some programming for the whole congregation, collaborates with other UUFG groups, and co-sponsors social justice activities with Gainesville community organizations. Our Project Teams currently include for Economic Inequality: Family Promise, Pineridge, andFood4Kids Hunger Backpack Program; for Race/Multiculturalism, Multiculturalism, and Opposing Discrimination and Hate; and for Climate/Environment, EarthKeepers.

The social justice work is the work of the congregation, not of a committee, and is funded mostly through the pledge budget, with congregation volunteers doing the work.

The three top priority areas chosen by the congregation for the past year, and again at this meeting for the coming year, are Poverty/Economic Inequality, Race/Multiculturalism, and Climate/Environment. Some ideas offered for the issue of Poverty/Economic Inequality are homelessness, East Gainesville, public transportation, food deserts, and wage gaps. For the issue of Race/Multiculturalism, some concerns are hate crimes, police/community relations, raising children free from fear, and immigrant justice. For the issue of Climate Justice, it was suggested we include ethical eating, and local climate issues. It was also suggested that we might choose one area for our main social justice focus for the year so that we might integrate a major speaker, sermons, and activities all in this single area.

You are invited to participate in UUFG's Social Justice Circle on Sunday, Feb. 19, at 12:30pm in the Common Room. At this meeting we will consider together all this input on social justice activities for the coming year and begin planning activities. The Circle meets most months on the third Sunday of the month to support each other's work and as an advisory group, and all are welcome to join in.